Bill Text: NJ A5940 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Clarifies that residents with mental illness or substance use disorders may be included on public safety special assistance municipal lists.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-11-18 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Human Services Committee [A5940 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-A5940-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Clarifies that residents with mental illness or substance use disorders may be included on public safety special assistance municipal lists.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning municipal lists of residents in need of special assistance and amending P.L.2017, c.266.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.2017, c.266 (C.40:48-2.67) is amended to read as follows:
1. The governing body of a municipality, by ordinance, may require the clerk of the municipality to maintain a list containing the names and addresses of municipal residents who identify themselves as being in need of special assistance in the event of an emergency, and who request that this information be maintained on their behalf, for public safety purposes, including but not limited to, use by law enforcement officers responding to an emergency call. Residents with a mental illness or substance use disorder may request that they be included on the list.
The list shall be cross-indexed by name and address of each resident requesting to be on the list, and shall identify the special circumstances of each [individual] resident. The clerk shall provide the list solely and strictly for the purposes of P.L.2017, c.266 (C.40:48-2.67 et al.) to the municipal police department, to each fire department or fire district serving the municipality, and to each first aid or rescue squad serving the municipality, and shall ensure that they are provided with updates at least monthly.
A notice to municipal residents advising them that [such a] this list is being maintained by the clerk for public safety purposes shall be included annually with the tax bills mailed to local property taxpayers. The notice shall include information as to how a municipal resident may add his or her name and address to the municipal list.
The municipal clerk shall notify each landlord who has filed a certificate of registration with the municipality pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1974, c.50 (C.46:8-28) of the existence of the list, and shall provide the landlord with a copy of a notice to be provided to the landlord's tenants, including information as to how a tenant may be added to the list.
(cf: P.L.2017, c.266, s.1)
2. This act shall take
effect on the first day of the fourth month next following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill clarifies that residents with a mental illness or substance use disorder may include themselves on municipal lists of persons in need of special assistance in an emergency.
Under current law, a municipality may enact an ordinance requiring the municipal clerk to maintain a list of names and addresses of municipal residents who identify themselves as being in need of special assistance in the event of an emergency. This information is to be maintained on their behalf for public safety purposes. The list is cross-indexed by name and address of the resident and identifies the resident's special circumstances. The clerk is required to provide the initial list and monthly updates to the list to the municipal police department, fire departments or districts, and first aid or rescue squads.
This bill clarifies that residents with a mental illness or substance use disorder may request that their name, address, and circumstances be included on the municipal special needs list. Under the bill, a police officer would be authorized to consult the list prior to responding to an emergency call.
